March Egg Production Down 2 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.50 billion during March 2016, down 2 percent from last year. Production included 7.36 billion table eggs, and 1.14 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.05 billion were broiler-type and 91 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during March 2016 averaged 361 million, down 1 percent from last year. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,353 eggs, down slightly from March 2015.
All layers in the United States on April 1, 2016 totaled 361 million, down 1 percent from last year. The 361 million layers consisted of 303 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.74 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on April 1, 2016, averaged 75.5 eggs per 100 layers, down 2 percent from April 1, 2015.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 4 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during March 2016 totaled 52.2 million, up 4 percent from March 2015. Eggs in incubators totaled 48.5 million on April 1, 2016, down 2 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 136 thousand during March 2016, down 61 percent from March 2015.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 2 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during March 2016 totaled 804 million, up 2 percent from March 2015. Eggs in incubators totaled 650 million on April 1, 2016, up 1 percent from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 8.41 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during March 2016, up 17 percent from March 2015.
